24 May 2026 The Two Towers

 A half a mile walk from the hotel where I am staying at in Talgarth Wales is a singular tower named Bronllys Castle. About another half a mile walk past that is the town of Bronllys, which  boasts a Pub called The Cock Inn, and a Church that has been around for 500 years.



Coincidentally, there is a tower at each location. One round, and one square. Castle Bronllys, the one with the round tower, has been around since the 11th century, while the square tower, now a belfry for the church, was erected in the 12th to 13th Century. possibly as a second line of defense for the Castle, should it fall. The square tower predates the church and churchyard that it shares a space with, however.



Castle Bronllys was originally constructed sometime after the Romans left, and Normans arrived. After the Normans arrived, around 1080, the makings of a castle were built on the Roman foundations at the same site. The tower was built, then caught fire, and was rebuilt. There are many other parts to the castle other than the tower, but the surrounding forest has retaken most of what used to be see when the area was cleared of trees, a useful thing so that you can spot enemies approaching from a great distance. A motte was built (hill) to elevate the tower even more. Today, the place is managed by the Welsh version of the English Heritage Trust (CADW), and you can normally go up into the tower, where they have built several floors to it, and once you reach the top, you can see for miles around. However, a pair of Peregrine Falcons have taken up home in the tower, so it has been closed off to give them their privacy tending to their nest. 

Ancestors of mine who are associated with Bronllys Castle are:

Bernard de Neufmarche (1050-1125) Lord of Brecon.

Richard FitzPons (1075-1129) Lord of Clifford, Lord of Cantref Bychan

Walter Fitzpons de Clifford (Richard's from above's son) (1113-1190)

Walter de Clifford III (1187-1263) 

John Gifford (1232-1299) 1st Baron Giffard, married Maud Clifford, daughter of Walter de Clifford III.

LLywelyn ap Iowerth (1173-1240) King of Wales, assaulted the Castle.

Owain Glyndwr ap Gruffydd (1359-1415) Last Welshman to claim the title Prince of Wales, led a 15 year revolt, assaulted the Castle.

While killing some time today waiting for the Cock Inn Pub to open so I could get my weekly Sunday Roast, I looked at the church and the churchyard. The tower is definitely older and has a different type of stone than the church, but there weren't any memorials inside that I could say were relatives of mine.

 




The town of Bronllys only has one ancestor, a Berthe FitzPons, who was born there in 1107, but this is the closest church to the castle, and usually when people die, this is the burial place of choice. There was a previous church before this one was built, but who knows. It's a good guess, without definitive proof.


Tomorrow is moving day, stepping out of the Welsh Marches, and back closer to the heartland of England. On the way, I have several stops scheduled, but I am ready to get back into a normal hotel in Shrewsbury, and a place where they have better food than where I am in Wales. 

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